By ELIZABETH HEITKAMP
Farm World Intern

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Grain farmers’ method of purchasing seed could change starting Jan. 1, 2011, if states decide to adopt changes made to the National Institute of Science (NIST) Handbook 133, which provides regulators with an outline on how to verify packaged goods are correctly labeled.

The National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) is a nonprofit association led by its members with technical expertise and consumer and industry interest. Its purpose is to develop optional “model standards for legal metrology in the United States,” according to the NCWM website.

Don Onwiler, NCWM executive director, said an annual meeting is held every July and is an opportunity for unbiased voting.

John Gaccione is the NCWM chairperson for the Laws and Regulations committee, and he said seed testing had not been updated with current methods, and there needed to be a more accurate measurement procedure.

After the American Seed Trade Assoc. recommended NIST procedures be standardized with the Assoc. of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) seed regulations, NCWM decided to amend NIST Handbook 133. Instead of packaging seed bags by weight, the handbook will suggest states bag seeds by count.

Onwiler believes this change will provide farmers with quality labeling because authorities will be able to check if the number of seeds in the bag is the correct number printed on the label.

Seeds vary in size, so some years there may be more seeds in a 50-pound bag than other years. “A bag doesn’t tell farmers how much ground they can cover,” Onwiler said.

Paul Russell of Eaton, Ind., has been farming for 37 years and predominately raises sheep, commercial corn and food grade soybeans – both tofu and low-linoleic acid. He applauds the handbook’s amendments.

“In the past, corn seed used to be sold by pound, and you didn’t know how many acres that would cover,” said Russell. “The nice thing about seed count is you know exactly how much you have to buy.”

He explained how farmers can estimate the number of seed bags they need to purchase by taking the quantity of seeds in a bag and dividing it by population of seed. For example, if there are 80,000 kernels in a bag and it takes 32,000 seeds to cover an acre of corn, farmers would know they can plant 2.5 acres.

Drew Lawwill, BioGene Seeds’ director of operations in Sardina, Ohio, thinks the amendment is “overall, a significant step forward to bring clarity and uniformity to the guidelines” and will help farmers make efficient purchasing decisions.

In 2011, BioGene Seeds will have sold seed by count for five seasons. Lawwill has heard positive feedback from farmers.

“They can equalize their seed cost due to the fact that seed size won’t affect their cost of production,” said Lawwill. “They know seed cost per acre, and they will know the seed rate to cover every acre without a lot of excess seeds.”

Gaccione knows farmers feed the world. Although the seed testing and packing adjustment may have seemed mundane, “it affects a whole group of people.”

Lisa Warfield served as the technical advisor for the NCWM Laws and Regulations committee. She helped members know what organizations and standards needed to get involved when considering making changes to the handbook.

She emphasized how “there is no standardization for the U.S. to follow uniformly” on these proposed regulations. It is a state’s choice to follow NIST Handbook 133.

To learn more, visit www.ncwm.net or www.nist.gov/index.html